Hi, I'm new to Spark People

At first tracking your nutrition can seem cumbersome, but once you get the hang of it, it is very helpful in tracking more than just calories. One thing I've learned is not to be so obsessive about it. Say you ate some type of cracker. Type in the brand name of cracker (Keebler Flatbread for instance), and you'll probably see a long list of crackers other have listed. Click on one, enter how many you ate and let that be that. I also click the box "add to favorites" every time I put a food on my list. Then if I ever eat it again, I can just click on the favorites tab and there it is. It definitely gets easier as you use the site more.

Yes, this site can be a little overwhelming, but if you pick a few tools and get really good at them, you can always add more later.

Also, I can relate to your issues with the Nutrition Tracker. I keep track of my calories on a piece of paper which cuts down on time quite a bit. One thing the Nutrition Tracker is good for is that it can break down your nutrients for you and let you know where you're doing well and where you're lacking. For this reason, I do try to use the Tracker periodically just to check in with my nutrients. All the other days, though, I stick to my trusty calorie sheet and calculator.

I am 69 years old and counting. I have used other methods and have gone from 184.8 pounds down to 156.1 as of today. I have to get down to 140 pounds and it has been a real challenge. I have gotten as low as 145.4 pounds and now I am climbing back up and really discouraged. I walk my dog every day and do yard work and walk the treadmill for exercise. I also do some yoga. My big issue is that while I eat properly in the morning and at lunch, the afternoon has become my enemy! It's like I can't stop eating and I am not eating anything good for me. Also I am a bit overwhelmed by all of the places to go on the site. I keep track of my food on paper by using points and don't seem to be able to get things on the food section without taking a lot of time to enter all the nutritional info on it. I am really hoping that the Spark People site will get me back on track and am excited to try it--but I am not real tech savvy. Thanks!

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